Matthew 8:34Behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus. When they saw him, they begged that he would depart from their borders.
The setting
Gadara (modern Jordan/Syria border), ~29 AD. Dawn. Jesus has just cast demons into pigs, causing massive economic loss. The whole town emerges to see the aftermath.
The emotion here: stunned by human rejection of divine power
The original word
parakaleō (παρεκάλεσαν) — to beg earnestly, same word used for comforting
Why it matters
Gadara was a Gentile city famous for pig farming, making this miracle economically devastating
Read with care
What most readers miss in Matthew 8:34
They begged Jesus to leave AFTER seeing the formerly demon-possessed man clothed and sane
Common misconceptionPeople think they rejected Jesus because of the pigs. Actually, they saw his power and were terrified of what else he might change in their lives.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Matthew 8:34
Bible Genome reading
Matthew 8:34 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Matthew 8:34 comes from the book of Matthew, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Matthew. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include rejection, fear, boundaries. Notable phrases: all the city came out; begged that he would depart; from their borders.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same anxious
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12
“The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"”
— Acts 19:15
“I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'”
— Acts 22:7
“When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is har…”
— Acts 26:14
Your reflection
What does Matthew 8:34 mean to you, today?
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